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Graduate & Advanced Admissions

Graduate & Advanced Admissions

General Requirements

Each of the graduate & advanced programs require applicants to have successfully completed a Bachelor’s degree at a recognized university with a B average or better. Please refer to each program’s specific requirements for qualifying degree programs.

One-Year Bachelor of Journalism

Although other academic qualifications may be considered, only those students who have successfully completed a Bachelor’s degree at a recognized university with a minimum average of B may be admitted to this program. The Journalism Admissions Committee takes into account the student’s academic records, clippings of print journalism and tapes of broadcast journalism, extracurricular activities, and other evidence of keen interest in journalism. Previous professional journalism experience, though frequently a good test of motivation, is not essential.

The intention of the One-Year BJ Program is to foster the professional development of students so that they may fill editorial positions in news organizations with not only a high degree of technical competence but also responsibility, dedication and a sense of purpose.

Applicants must submit:

A completed BJ application form

Application fee of $70

An official transcript from all previous post-secondary institutions

A 1,000-word autobiographical sketch

A portfolio (recommended)

Up to three letters of reference (optional)

Resume (optional)

Please note: As the number of places in the BJ program is limited, it is expected that only a proportion of qualified applicants will be admitted; selection will be made on a competitive basis.

Students offered a place in the BJ program will be asked to confirm acceptance of the offer and tender an admission deposit by a specified deadline in order to hold a place in the program.

A ranked waiting list of qualified students will be maintained throughout the summer.

Master of Journalism

Master of Journalism (10 month program)

This program offers three streams: Data & Investigative, New Ventures, and Juris Doctor. It is designed specifically for students who already possess a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Admission to this program will be restricted to those who have obtained a bachelor of journalism degree or equivalent program, with an average grade of B or better. The King’s registrar, in consultation with the director of the School of Journalism, will determine a program’s equivalency. A prior learning assessment will be available for the few applicants who do not have a bachelor of journalism degree, but who have a degree in another discipline and deep experience in the field.

Master of Journalism (Two-year program)

Students who do not hold an undergraduate degree in journalism, but who hold an undergraduate degree in another discipline (and meet all the other MJ pre-requisites), may be provisionally admitted to a two-part MJ program. In the first year, students in the program enroll in the one-year post-baccalauareate Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) degree. Students who complete the BJ with a minimum GPA of B can proceed directly to the MJ program.

Admission procedures and instructions

The Master of Journalism is offered jointly by Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College. Please use the standard application form from Dalhousie’s Faculty of Graduate Studies to apply to the program. To speed the processing of your application, applicants are requested to send all documents, including the Dalhousie Graduate Studies application form and all supporting documents, directly to:

Office of the Registrar
1st Floor Arts and Administration Building
University of King’s College
6350 Coburg Road
Halifax, NS
B3H 2A1

Please indicate the following in your application:

Admission application: a completed online application form or a Dalhousie University Faculty of Graduate Studies application form. Please indicate your proposed field of study, selecting one of New Ventures, Investigative, or Juris Doctor. Please note the Dalhousie application does not include the option of a June start date. Students applying to the 10-month MJ may check the “Summer” start date. Students applying to the 2-year MJ may check the “Fall” start date.

Application fee: a $100.00 application fee (if submitting a cheque please make it payable to the University of King’s College).

Transcripts: two copies of official transcripts for all post secondary institutions attended. Official transcripts from Dalhousie/King’s (or the former TUNS) are not required for current or former Dalhousie/King’s students.

Personal statement: a letter outlining your educational/professional experience, your goals for the program and your reasons for wanting to attend the master of journalism program. Explain any gaps or deficiencies in your academic record or any other factors you wish to have taken into account.

Portfolio: a maximum of five selected samples (clippings, tapes, posts etc) of your best related work.

Reference letters: two confidential reference letters are required. These letters are to have an ink signature, placed in an envelope, endorsed across the back seal, and returned to the applicant or sent directly to the King’s Registrar’s Office (please do not open the envelope). The letters should not be submitted to Dalhousie University. Referees can use this form, provide a formal letter, or a combination of both. Please note that applicants who have been out of university for more than 5 years and are unable to obtain academic references may submit professional references in lieu.

Admission Process

As the number of places in the MJ program is limited, it is expected that only a proportion of qualified applicants will be admitted; selection will be made on a competitive basis.

Dalhousie University/University of King’s College will verify any information the applicant provides, including letters of reference and transcripts. Information on falsified documents is shared with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Furthermore, if an applicant does not provide complete information or provides falsified documents, the applicant’s association with, admission to, or registration at the university may be rescinded and cancelled after notice in writing to the applicant at the home address.

All documents received become the property of the university and will be used at its discretion for internal purposes only. Documents will not be returned.

The initial application evaluation process is conducted by the School of Journalism, which then makes its recommendation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The final decision is made and a formal offer of admission is signed and sent out by the Registrar of Dalhousie University.

Students who are offered a place in the MJ program will be asked to confirm acceptance of the offer and tender an admission deposit by a specified deadline in order to hold a place in the program.
A ranked waiting list of qualified students will be maintained throughout the late spring and early summer.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction

Applicants must have obtained an undergraduate degree (normally an honours degree) in any discipline, with an average grade of B or better. They must also submit a portfolio of nonfiction writing with their application. While it is not a requirement for admission, prospective students are encouraged to include with their submission a description of the idea or ideas they want to pursue as their major creative nonfiction project.

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction is offered jointly by Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College. Please use the standard application form from Dalhousie’s Faculty of Graduate Studies to apply to the program. To speed the processing of your application, applicants are requested to send all documents, including the Dalhousie Graduate Studies application form and all supporting documents, directly to:

Office of the Registrar
1st Floor Arts and Administration Building
University of King’s College
6350 Coburg Road
Halifax, NS
B3H 2A1

Please include the following in your application:

Admission application: a completed online application form or a Dalhousie University Faculty of Graduate Studies application form. Please note the Dalhousie application form was created for programs approved by September 2012. As a result, the form does not include the option for an August start date. You may check the “September” start box or leave this section blank.

Application fee: a $100.00 application fee (if submitting a cheque please make it payable to the University of King’s College).

Transcripts: two copies of official transcripts for all post secondary institutions attended. Official transcripts from Dalhousie/King’s (or the former TUNS) are not required for current or former Dalhousie/King’s students.

Personal statement: a letter outlining your educational/professional experience, your goals for the program, and your reasons for wanting to attend the master of fine arts in creative nonfiction program. Explain any gaps or deficiencies in your academic record, and any other factors you wish to have taken into account.

Project idea: while it is not a requirement for admission, prospective students are encouraged to include a description of the idea or ideas they want to pursue as their major creative nonfiction project.Portfolio: a maximum of 25 double-spaced pages of your best nonfiction related work.

Reference letters: two confidential reference letters are required. These letters are to have an ink signature, placed in an envelope, endorsed across the back seal, and returned to the applicant or sent directly to the King’s Registrar’s Office (please do not open the envelope). The letters should not be submitted to Dalhousie University. Referees can use this form, provide a formal letter, or a combination of both. Please note that applicants who have been out of university for more than 5 years and are unable to obtain academic references may submit professional references in lieu.

English proficiency: applicants whose native language is not English must provide proof of English language competency. Please refer to the Dalhousie University Graduate Studies English Language Requirements for more information on English language proficiency test scores.

Admission Process

The number of places in the program is limited, so it is expected that only a proportion of qualified applicants will be admitted; selection will be made on a competitive basis.

Dalhousie University/University of King’s College will verify any information that the applicant provides, including letters of reference and transcripts. Information on falsified documents is shared with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Furthermore, if an applicant does not provide complete information or provides falsified documents, the applicant’s association with, admission to, or registration in, the university may be rescinded and cancelled after notice in writing to the applicant at the home address.

All documents received become the property of the university and will be used at the discretion of the university for internal purposes only. Documents will not be returned.

The school of journalism conducts the initial application evaluation process and makes its recommendation to the Dalhousie University Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS). FGS makes the final decision and a formal offer of admission is signed and sent out by the Registrar of Dalhousie University.

Students offered a place in the MFA program will be asked to confirm acceptance of the offer and tender an admission deposit by a specified deadline in order to hold a place in the program.

A ranked waiting list of qualified students will be maintained throughout the late spring and early summer.

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